Game table



R. W. MARTIN July 16, 1935.

GAME TABLE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 15, 1950 R. W. MARTlN GAME TABLE Filed Sept. 15, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 16, 19 35- UNITED STATES! PATENT OFFICE? j j 2 oo .1 .71 L g I GAME TABLE Rodney Martin, ItaytoLn, )hio Application September 15, 1930, Serial No. 482,044 violating (o1. s11 103 )j This inventionrelates to tables of the type commonly designated as party tables or gameand card tables, and more particularly to an ar rangement of sliding drawers and leaves'inthe table. top. While such tables are ordinarily provided with folding legs, such construction is not essential to the present invention. The top of the present table is formed as a hollow housing toreceive be retracted within the table With the above on each side a sliding drawer in which may be deposited game pieces or implements, supplies and the like, and also receiving at-each corner a sliding leaf or shelfdisposed diagonally rela-' tive to the table'but I of the table top. Upon each of these sliding leaves there is provided a score sheet and'pencil holder and also a detachably mounted ashftray. These leaves are so-disposed 'as'to be convenient 1y accessible and yet afford maximum space at the table side for the player and not obstruct or interfere withhis free movement.

The object of the invention is to simplify the construction as well as the means and modeof adjustment of such tables, wherebythey'will not only be cheapened in" construction, but will be more convenient in use, of strong and s'turdyponstruction and pleasing appearance, easily ad' justed and unlikely to get out of order. f I A further object of the in'ventionis tdpr'ovid'e' angularly disposed slides retractible within the table top, which, when extended, will bejmost' conveniently positioned for use as arm tests and easily accessible for entries upon a score sheet or depositof ashes within an. ash tray' carried thereby. j v

=A-further object of the invention is to provide drawers and slides a relative arrangement of within the table top whereby drawers'and slides of maximum size may be employed 'witho'ut'interference with each other. 1 A further object of the invention is to provide improved detent means for temporarily holding the slides in their retracted position, and for limiting their withdrawal movement. V

A further object of the invention is to provide improved form of score sheet and pencil holder and an improved mounting for detachable ash trays upon such reciprocatory slides, which may top. A further and important object of the invention is to provide a table top embodying assemblies of identical, interchangeable parts which facilitates standardization of manufacture.

objects in View, as

ofifset relative to the corner primary and other incidental. will more fully appear in the specification, the invention consists of the features of construction, the parts and combina; tions thereof and the mode of operation or their equivalents ashereinafter described andset forth in the claims. 1 V Q 'Rferring to the accompanying drawings wherein is shown the preferred, but obviously not theonly, form of embodiment of the invention, Fig.1 is a perspective view of a table in which the present invention has been embodied. Fig. 1A is a, fragmentary sectionalview'of the table top. Fig. 2 is'a top plan view of the table topwith the cover section removed therefrom. Figs. 3 and f1: are detail perspective views of spacer members to'be interposed between the coverand bottom boards, of the hollow top to afford com- I partments therein to receive the reciprocatory slidesand drawers,-and also to form the marginal railsfof such top. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the spring detent means for temporarily holding the reciprocatory slides in their retracted position. Fig; '6jisa detail perspective view of theadjustable slide with a score sheet and pencil holder and an ash tray mounted thereon. Fig. 7 is a slide elevation, of the detachably mounted ash tray carried upon the reciprocatory slide. like parts" areindicated' by similar characters of reference throughout the several views. The top of the table is of shallow, box-like construction comprising a cover board I of comparatively thirijmaterial preferably, though not necessarily, of ply-wood, and a similar bottom board 2. These spaced coverand bottom sections A and 2 are separated by intermediate spacer members 3 andl, illustrated in detail in Figst3 and 4. ,The spacer element 3 is of triangular form, one side 5 of which forms a portion of the marginal rail of the-tabletop, while the longer divergent side 6 forms one side of the receiving compartment for the sliding shelf or slide 1 and carries an overhanging guide or keeperstop 6'. The transverse portion 8 of such spacer. member 3 forms a guide and one side of the receiving compartment'for a sliding drawer 9. l The second spacer element 4 which is located, in spaced relation with the spacer. element 3 completes the marginal rail of the table whiletheflinwardly projecting portion H'of such member is rabbeted atf ID to afford a complementary guide for the reciprocatory slideT. I a

' The reciprocatory slides 1 onal relation with the but wholly at one side are disposed in diag margins of the table top' of thecorner. Thatis' to say, theseslides are not exactly symmetrical with? the table. There is a slide compartment on each side of the table coincident with the corner of the table top. The slides are disposed in such compartment at an angle somewhat less than fortyfive degrees, so that when fully extended beyond one side of the table they project but slightly beyond the complementary side forming the corner angle. The slides guide bars 6 of the spacer members 3 and the guide blocks l l of the spacer members 4.

Centrally disposed within the interior of the hollow table top is a rectangular block 12 common to all of the reciprocatory slides I and limitingtheir retractive movement. Secured to each side of this stop block i2 is a tapered detent head 13 of substantially arrow head shape to beengaged between a pair of spring fingers 14 carried by the corresponding slide 7 Normally the spring spring finger piece of strap metal fingers l4 releasably grip the detent heads I 3 to temporarily hold the slides in retracted position.

However. upon slight pulling effort, the spring fingers i i are disengaged from the detent heads l3 and the slides may be withdrawn until the spring fingers l i engage with the guide blocks I i of the spacer elements 4 to limit the outward movement of the slide. It 'isto'be noted that the detent fingers M are located closely adjacent to the side margins of thefslides l in overhanging relation with'the guide blocks H, and that the detent heads l3 are located on the stop block 12 in positions to agree with such positions of the spring fingers l4.

By disposing the reciprocatory slides I in positions somewhat offset relative to the diagonal lines of the table head and at an inclination less than forty-five degrees, such slide when extended is disposed in the most convenient position to serve as an arm rest, and also to receivewritten records on the score sheets. At the sametime the slide is inclined away from the person sitting at the table side in such relation as to afford maximum space. 1

Loosely secured 'to the top of the slide 1 is a I5, one end of which is arched as at Hi to receive, therebeneath a pencil. A score sheet can be slipped beneath "the strap of s metal l5 and thus removably held in position to receive the written scores. At the outer extremity of the reciprocatory slide 'l there is removably mounted an ash tray II. This ashtray E1 is positioned between an upstanding finger ,l 8 the upper 'end of which is reversely bentinto'hook-shape over the margin of the tray 11, and an elevated l9 secured to the slide 1 and overhanging the ash tray II. This spring finger 19 is preferably of concaveform to afford arest'for a cigar or cigarette.

In the manufacture of the table, the spacer units 3 and 4 are made in quantity and a series of such units are assembled in properly spaced relation by means of a suitable jig orlocatingfixture, and the cover and bottom boards I and 2 of ply wood or other suitable material are se.- cured thereto. Each table requiresa series of four of each of the spacer units 3 and 4, and a single centrally positioned stop-block". The slides l are all identical in shape and construction as are also the drawers 9. The table is thus readily adapted for economical, standardized manufacture. The table top embodying the reciprocatory slides and drawers "is supported upon any suitable legs 20-40. Ordinarilythese legs are attached for'folding movement; 'I'hisfeature,

I reciprocate intermediate the table, the table top is preferably divided by lines into a central rectangular-playing space 2|, the corners of which are diagonally connected with the table corners by diagonal lines 22, thus defining each players space 23.

fication in its form, proportions, detail construction and arrangement of partswithout departing from the principle involved or sacrificing any of its advantages,-

While in order to comply with the statute the invention hasbeen described by language more or less specific as to structural features, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific details shown, but that the means and construction herein disclosed comprise the preferred form of several modes of putting the invention into effect, and the invention is therefore claimed in any of its forms or modifications within the legitimate and valid scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim: 1. In a table'of the character described, a rectangular hollowtop divided into a plurality 0f slide compartments diagonally disposed one in each side of the table top and terminating S bstantially coincident with the corner angle of the top, sliding shelves mounted in said diagonally disposed slide compartments in positions divergent to the bisectors of the corner angles whereby when extended adjacent shelves will pro; ject at different angles to the intermediate side margin of the table top, a centrally disposed block within the table top common to all the sliding' shelves forming'a stop therefor when in' retracted This lining and divi-' sion of the table top induces orderly playing and positions, spring'catches for detachably connecting. the sliding shelves with said stop block when in retracted positions, ash trays detachably secured to .the sliding shelves and score sheet holders also carried thereby. i 1 '2. In a. table of the character described, the combination with a rectangular table top, of a' plurality of diagonally. disposedslides extendible beyond the margin of the table top in inclined relation thereto, said slides being diagonally positioned inunsymmetrical relation to the corner angles of the table top and at one side thereof, a stop block centrally disposed relative to the table top and commonto all the slides, interengageable detent means, carried by the block and the respective slides for releasably holding the slides in retracted position, and guide means for the slides engaged by the portion of the detent means carried by the slides for limiting the outward movement thereof. r

' 3. The combination with a rectangular table top, of a series of reciprocator'y slides disposed in diagonal relation to the margin of the table top adjacent to but at one side of the corner angles thereof, and a series of triangular members secured to the table top with their angles coincident with the corner angles of the table top and with one side of each of said'members substantially coincident with one margin of the table top, the opposite side of each of said triangular members forming a guide for one of said slides.

4. The combination with a table top, of a series of reoiprocatory slides supported in spaced relation below the top surface of the table top and movable from retracted position beneath the table top to extended position projecting beyond the margin thereof, and a plurality of pairs of substantially triangular guide members, disposed in spaced relation with each other with the angle of one triangular guide member of each pair disposed in substantially coincident relation with each comer of the table top and with one side of such member in substantially parallel relation with one side margin of such table top, the other guide member of each of said pairs of guide members being disposed in spaced relation with the first mentioned members and with one side thereof in substantially parallel relation with another side margin of the table top, saidslides being mounted for to and fro motion between said guide members of the respective pairs by the adjacent sides of which they are guided in their to and fro motion.

5. The combination with a table top, of a series of reciprocatory slides supported in spaced relation below the top surface of the table top and movable from retracted position beneath the table top to extended position projecting beyond the margin thereof, and a series of frames of substantially right triangular form secured to the table top with their apices substantially coincident with the comer angles of the table top and with their right angle sides disposed respectively in substantially paralleland perpendicular relation with one side margin of the table top, the opposite sides of the triangular frames being extended to form guides for the slides.

6. In a table of the character described, a rectangular table top and a plurality of reciprocatory slides mounted thereon for to and fro movement in diagonal relation with the table top, whereby when retracted each of said slides will lie wholly at one side of an adjacent corner of the table top and when extended such slide will pro-' ject past said corner, adjacent slides projecting I in different angular relation with the intermediate side margin of such table top.

7. A table of the character described including a rectangular top and a plurality of reciprocatory slides carried thereby, said slides being mounted for to and fro motion diagonally in relation with the tabletop contiguous to the corners of the table top, whereby when retracted each of said slides will lie in unsymmetrical diagonal relation wholly at one side of the corresponding corner of the table top and whenextended will project past said corner and in unequal divergent relation beyond the contiguous side margins of such table top.

RODNEY W. MARTIN. 

